Chapter 43

Hannah stared blankly at the scene before her. For eight long years, she'd shared her life with Vincent.She once held onto the hope that pouring her heart into the relationship-never asking for anything in return-might be enough to win his affection.

But time had proven her wrong. All that loyalty and all those silent sacrifices had been wasted for nothing.What Vincent felt for her wasn't love. Whenever he looked her way, it was as though he was searching for someone else entirely.

And during her recent stay in the Jones estate, she'd bitterly felt that Vincent's attachment to Brinley stood out like a glaring spotlight. Every gentle word, every protective gesture, every ounce of his worry-he gave those to Brinley without hesitation.

Even when she faced the police, Vincent's concern had come off flat, as if he were reading lines from a script, putting on a show for appearances. His heart and worries always lay with Brinley, never her. She knew the truth now-Vincent wasn't incapable of love. He just didn't love her.

That realization had settled in Hannah's chest like an old bruise-painful at first, but eventually numb from the constant heartbreak.

A sharp pinch from Danica pulled Hannah back to the present.

"I always suspected you were the one behind this, Hannah. Framing Brinley just to get her locked up? That's quite vicious." Danica's glare sharpened as she snarled, "Did you really think this would drive a wedge between Brinley and Vincent? Dream on!"

Hannah winced from the pain and shot Danica a cold glare. "Rather than raising your voice at me, why don't you put that energy into finding a way to get Brinley out of jail?" Not backing down, she stepped forward,her tone steady and biting. "With charges like these, people can get locked away for at least a year, you know."

"You!" Danica's anger boiled over. She lifted her hand, ready to strike.

Lightning-fast, Hannah caught her wrist mid-swing and arched an eyebrow. "Did you really think I'd let you lay a hand on me again?"

A rough shove sent Danica stumbling backward, nearly losing her balance as she tried to recover.

Rage sent Danica's breath coming in sharp, ragged bursts as she fought to steady herself.

Without a second glance, Hannah strode toward the officers waiting forher, paying no attention to Danica's angry protests echoing behind her.

···

Brinley sat in the stark police station, searching for a loophole, grasping for any explanation that might clear her name. However, each denial sounded less convincing as the officers calmly presented their findings.

Still, Brinley refused to admit to her crime. "It wasn't me! That audio has to be doctored. I've never spoken those words. And why would I pay someone to assault myself?"

She clung to denial, refusing to budge an inch. The officers had grown tired of arguing, so they decided it was time for Brinley to meet the accomplices face-to-face.

The instant the two men entered, emotions flickered in their eyes. One of them grabbed her hand and begged, "Miss, please, get us out of here. We can't go to prison!"

Brinley shrank back, her eyes fixed on the floor. "I... I have no idea who you are."

Suddenly, one man's expression hardened. "You lying bitch! You were the one who told us to grope you,and now you're pretending you don't know us? If we're going down, you're coming with us!"

With a wild gesture, Brinley tried to shield herself. "Get them out of here! I swear, I've never met them in my life!"

As the men's emotions spun out of control, the officers had no choice but to separate them from Brinley.

Vincent stood off to the side, silent, but the lines across his forehead only deepened.

Desperation filled Brinley's voice. "They're framing me! I don't know them! They're the real criminals!"

One officer, unfazed, replied in a steady voice, "We've collected physical evidence and witness accounts.Right now, everything points straight to you."

Brinley avoided their eyes, panic flickering in her gaze.

The officer added, "You accused Ms. Scott of hiring someone to assault you, but in truth, you set up the entire thing yourself just to frame Ms. Scott. The charges are defamation and damaging someone's reputation. If this sticks, you could be facing a year behind bars. You may want to tell us the truth while you still have the chance."

Shock rooted Brinley to the spot. "What do you mean?" Her first instinct was to cling to Vincent's sleeve."Vincent, I'm begging you. Don't let them do this to me!"

The officer didn't even flinch. "Ms. Gilbert, pleading with others won't change your situation. The next step depends on the victim's wishes." He shifted his attention to Hannah."Ms. Scott, you're at the center of this.Do you want to reach a settlement, or would you rather press charges and see this through in court?"

"A settlement?" Hannah's gaze swept over to Brinley, and a chilling smnile touched her lips. "Absolutely not.An apology won't cut it either. I want Brinley Gilbert to be held accountable."

As she uttered the last sentence, she shifted and looked into Vincent's eyes.

Though Vincent said nothing, a faint shadow crossed his features.

Hannah noticed the tension right away. Clearly, Vincent wasn't thrilled about her answer. Still, she refused to let his feelings sway her. Back when she was wronged, she had no one on her side-only a chorus of accusations. This time, she wouldn't bend just because someone else didn't like her choice. She would demand her own justice, and she wouldn't back down.

Tears streamed down Brinley's face. "Vincent, please, I don't want to be locked up..."